UALE 1023 / MPU 32023
English for Business
READING STRATEGIES
Reading Strategies
• Prediction
• Inference
• Using contextual clues
1. What is Prediction?
A prediction is what you think will
happen based upon the text, the
author, and background knowledge.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
2. What is Inference?
Inference is reading all of the clues and
making your best guess.
You may ask questions such as:
Why did certain things happen?
What were the characters thinking?
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
Prediction vs. Inference
Prediction involves thinking about what’s going to happen and
based on what you know and what you have read.
I think this will be about because . . .
I think is going to happen next because…
make me think that will happen.
Inference involves reading between the lines and making an
educated guess based on your prior knowledge and evidence in
the story.
From the text clues, I can conclude that…
That is probably why . . .
This evidence suggests . . .
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
When to Make Predictions
Readers make predictions before
and while reading a text.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
When to Make Inferences
Readers make inferences DURING
reading.
Readers ask themselves questions as
they read.
Inferences help the reader to
understand what he/she is reading.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
How to Make a Prediction
To make a prediction you must question
yourself – e.g. ‘What will happen next?’
The day of the barbecue got off to a beautiful start.
The sun was brilliant and the breeze was gentle. The
camp counsellors had just finished putting up the
tents, when the sky began to darken and the gentle
breeze became a wild wind.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
Questions to predicting in a text?
What are some reasonable predictions for the
situation you have just read?
It could start to rain.
The sun is about to set.
The tents could be blown over.
Everyone began to have an enjoyable barbecue in the
outdoors.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
9 Statistics show a downward trend
in the consumption of processed
meat. Eating processed meat
such as bacon and luncheon
meat has been linked to a
number of diseases.
What can you predict will happen in the future?
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
How to Make an Inference
Inferences are made using clues from the text.
Adam walks into a room and this is what he sees:
blood on the floor, an empty birdcage, and a
happily purring cat.
What is your inference?
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
3. Using Contextual Clues
Context Clues are hints that the author
gives to help define a difficult or unusual
word.
The clue may appear within the same
sentence as the word to which it refers, or it
may follow in a preceding sentence.
Types of Contextual Clues
Definition/Explanation
Restatement/Synonyms
Antonyms/Contrast
Examples
General sense
1. Definition/Explanation
2. Restatement/Synonyms
3. Antonyms/Contrast
4. General Sense/Inference
5. Examples
When the meaning of the word is not implied by the general
sense of its context, it may be implied by examples. For
instance:
“Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and
inviting friends often to their homes for dinner are gregarious.”
You may infer the meaning of gregarious by asking the question
“What word or words describe people who belong to clubs, go
to parties a lot, and often invite friends over to their homes for
dinner?”
Conclusion
Predicting requires the reader to ask questions
before and during reading.
Inferring requires the reader to ask questions
during reading.
Making inferences/predictions are a way to check
for understanding.
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
14
The End
UALE 1023 / MPU 32023 English for
Business
